Monday, 19 November 2012

Getting creative in the backyard

This is the photograph of our backyard on the sales brochure when we first purchased it. How beautiful is it? Well... it didn't take us long to destroy it - literally. With neither Grant nor I being gardeners it quickly grew out of control and so we took drastic measures and pretty much took it all out.

It seems like a great many moons ago when we ripped up the lovely, but totally impractical for our children, cottage style garden and commenced work on creating a space for our family. Had there been more than one person in our family to appreciate the beauty of the flowers growing in the space then perhaps the garden may have stood a fighting chance, but with two boisterous boys in need of space to race their bikes, make mud pies, dig for worms and sail the seven seas, something had to give.

The above photo was taken in February not long after we began the project, changed our minds, started again, changed our plans again; all the while the tamariki made the most of our indecision and lack of time to make mud pies, bury various tools and dig a hole to China.

Since creating a more open space for the boys, Gus and Felix have really enjoyed finding little spaces in the sun to lounge around, read books and make up little games together - and of course race around wildly on their bikes. Every now and then I hear little chuckles from over the fence from our grandparents age neighbours who seem to enjoy their antics.

Gus has been doing lots of 'tricks' in the garden, here he is making skidmarks in the dirt with his feet, just like a "mud bike" does. Felix, who of course suffers from the worst case of big-brother-worship, has to have a go at everything Gus does, and so pays close attention for when its his turn.

Grant has been flat out building a little deck around one of the remaining trees in the garden, plus a boardwalk surrounding it. Much to Gus' delight, this project has required a bit of excavation, which lead to a great mound of dirt being dumped in one spot. Naturally Gus has used this as a ramp and has had hours of fun here.

And naturally, the big-brother-love-thing means that Felix has to give it a go too, resulting in mixed results! Poor Felix. Xo

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About Me

Hello, I'm Yasmine. My husband, two boys and I have settled into life in Wellington, New Zealand and are making the most of being near family and friends; and enjoying all that a New Zealand childhood has to offer our boys.